Holding Network Rail to account

In this episode, the Rail and Road Pod looks at how the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) holds Network Rail to account for its performance and efficiency.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has praised Network Rail’s response to Covid-19 but raised concerns over how Network Rail plans rail timetables for next year and in the longer term, and is requiring improvement by Network Rail on how rail capacity is allocated and access to the network is granted.

More needs to be done to tackle the impacts of climate change on the railway, which has seen risks increase over the last year, according to a new report published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) today.

Network Rail Scotland has saved more than £46 million in the first year of the new control period 6 (CP6) as it looks to deliver £347 million efficiency savings over five years. Meanwhile passenger train performance was below target, according to the 2019-20 annual assessment of Network Rail published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) today (2 July).

Network Rail has saved more than £385 million in the first year of the new control period 6 (CP6) as it looks to deliver £3.5 billion of efficiency savings over the next five years, however passenger and freight performance varied by region, according to figures contained in the 2019-20 annual assessment of Network Rail published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) today (2 July).

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is introducing a new regulatory policy for holding Network Rail to account, improving benefit to passengers and other railway users.

Passengers rely on both Network Rail and train operators to deliver performance but the role of the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is to examine Network Rail's contribution. As such, ORR has today taken action against Network Rail to require improvements in its capability to deliver better performance.